Shot Celebration: Federer's gliding - inside-out forehand

Who's inside out forehand do you like better?

  • Federer

    Votes: 124 78.5%

  • Nadal

    Votes: 20 12.7%

  • Somebody else

    Votes: 14 8.9%
  • Total voters
    158
L

LanceStern

Professional
I was really hoping to create a more detailed, head to head comparision topic between which inside out forehand people on the general board liked better: Nadal's or Federer's.

Both of their forehand are regarded by the tennis world (not talk tennis forums) as the best in the industry, but one forehand I have always been fond of is the inside out forehand.

So I started to compile some videos of each of their inside out forehands, starting with

Roger Federer
Roger Federer's gliding inside out forehand is very beautiful to watch. It's often done when he has forced the opponent to hit a relatively slow shot to his backhand side. Because it's slow, Federer often times will skip around the backhand and crack the forehand inside out with ridiculous power that should just not occur from that sort of position. It catches the opponent off guard, and if it's not a winner, it sets up an easy finisher. It's best (and most often) seen when Federer is projected on the top of your tv screen or monitor, and he hits it from the advantage to the deuce side. The angle and speed is easier seen. Check them out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZawHyAJJmK0 (check it out @ 00:19)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAyh1zB4AwA (check it out @ 1:01)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rieX7to6UM (check it out @ 4:50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khAF-dPEUUY (check it out @ 2:02)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR7do5BFgzA (check it out @ 00:56)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m19hsiYYOVM (check it out @ 1:50, 2:00, 4:36, 6:39)

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal's inside out forehand is just as distinct and devastating as Federer's and almost as beautiful. LIke Federer, Nadal often does the shot whent he opponent has coughed up a slower ball, but Nadal can often yank the opponent off the court with his inside forehand more spontaneously (does not have to be a slow ball, he can whip the faster ones too) than Feds. Nadal will often shuffle his feet extremely fast and scoot around the backhand and whip the lefty forehand from the deuce side to the ad court (probably cause he's left handed). IT is best seen with Nadal's back to the TV, but on occasion we see it when he's at the top. It's usually a crazy angle, but not as explosive as Federer's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B8tJxBNfcI&feature=related (check it out @ 00:31)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iXjL-INeHo&feature=rec-HM-fresh (check it out @ 7:49)

And to be honest, I didn't get much farther than this because it just looks so darn awesome! Plus Federer inside out forehand has its own tag on Youtube, and it's much harder to find Nadal's. I will look for more.

Who's do you like better? Or post a video of someone else you like
 
Last edited:
Nadal's inside out forehand looks extremely heavy.

Like even if you get to it, my God you can see the spin from the TV screen! So much effort to get it back
 
Federer. More power. Whole body involved. Never seems rushed. Head still and tilted. Pleasant to watch. Quiet.
 
Last edited:
federer's is definitely more appealing to the eye, but you can't doubt nadal's effectiveness. talk about a heavy ball.

but, federer's also hits a very heavy ball, but he aims to hit through the court, whereas even though that's a goal for nadal, he still puts so much spin on it that it usually isnt a complete outright winner *neither is fed's*

i think i have to say i like both. federers is more ridiculous, though.
 
Federer's is my favorite. Nadal, Moya in his heyday, and tsonga have tremendous inside outs too.
 
What about Marat Safin's? You know, the one that he hits at completely inappropriate times? The one that usually misses even the doubles alley?
 
It boggles me how Federer can get so much pace out of the inside out forehand. he is skipping around the back hand, but still able to whip it to the extreme corner at ridiculous spin and pace.

It should be floating, the way he jumps out of position. he must have practiced that for a while
 
I said it once and I'll say it again - Federer inside out forehand is my favorite shot in tennis. It is amazing to watch.
 
Federer, Tsonga, Safin.... you might want to add Gonzalez to that list. Oh, and Moya in his prime was no slouch at inside outs either.
 
Nadal's is awesome but I have to go with Federer's inside out forehand. Part of its effectiveness also lies in the fact that Federer has THE best inside in forehand, where there is such little margin for error and yet it's a shot his opponents have to watch out for because he can make it and punish you with it on a regular basis.
 
Alexandros said:
Nadal's is awesome but I have to go with Federer's inside out forehand. Part of its effectiveness also lies in the fact that Federer has THE best inside in forehand, where there is such little margin for error and yet it's a shot his opponents have to watch out for because he can make it and punish you with it on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

This.

I don't know whether you meant inside out or in right there, but it's true either way. I haven't seen this particular inside out gliding forehand ever sail long or wide. Maybe I have my fan-glasses on though
 
I think it is hard to say which one is better. However, I think generally it is harder for Nadal than Federer to hit an insideout forehand because most likely the ball is coming from and it will go to opponent's forehand side.
 
How about a little love for James Blake. All he has is an inside-out-forehand and it took him to #4 in the rankings.
 
Not to diminish the sheer effectiveness of Nadal's IOF, Federer's is truly a work of visual art...hard to imagine Baryshnikov choreographed any better than this.
 
The inside in is ROCKING too. Have you seen the one where he sidesteps from midcourt and CRANKS it on Nalbandian.

Such a beautiful game-playing style
 
NamRanger said:
Andy Roddick's inside out forehand was good for about 3 years. Then 2005 hit and pulled a "Where's Waldo" act.
Click to expand...

That's true. I remember the ever-so-often booming inside out of Roddick.

But I just like the smoothness of Feds. Plus his feet aren't on the floor when he does it... he's moving the other way!
 
Can someone please explain to me why this is called the "inside out forehand"? Because my forehand looks exactly like that when I play...all the time...its my standard forehand stroke...
 
ogruskie said:
Can someone please explain to me why this is called the "inside out forehand"? Because my forehand looks exactly like that when I play...all the time...its my standard forehand stroke...
Click to expand...

Google "Wardlaw Directionals"
 
KerryJ said:
Did anyone see Nadal's four inside our forehand winners off the serve return today? They were the last game of the match. He hit one 108 mph
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw that. That is like a second serve and probably faster or close to anyone's first serve on this forum. Ridiculous.
 
i havent wathced enough h2h between nadal and federer to determine whos has been more effective in the their match play.


federers io-s seem to keep a lower trajectory...nadals like having a built in protractor in his racket.
 
Nadals inside out forehand is a monster while referees is very elegant but I have to say I'd pick Nadals as my favorite because of how easily he seems to be able to hit it not just on short balls
 
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